Primitive Sun Dials Or Scratch Dials

M E D I E V A L S C R A T C H D I A L o n s ta t u e f B V r n n h I n e s a h u r c h l o . a d C ild C G o i gi , gl h m , s . PRI MITIV E S UN D IALS SC RA TC H DIALS ' a - n i G m ai ing a $a t qf Mom n S amtzm et DOM ETHELBERT HOR NE W I T H A P R E FA CE B Y D HA L a Bu R J C R ES c o x m . ntnn fitau . - BARNICOTT P EARC E , TH E W ESS E$ P RESS H i INTRO DU CTION VA RIOU S THEORIES O-F SCRA TCH P OSITIONS S TYL E O -R GNOMON A N D HOLES THEIR. L I S T O F I L L U S TR A TI O N S PLA TE P AG E M ~ ir in and ediaeval Scratch Dial On statue of B . V g F r ont s iece C ild n e m C Glo s . i h , I gl sha hurch , p S x on S n di l : D li wo C a u a s ag ng rth hurch , S in b C G . a ts ury hurch , los S o lle C H Bridge rs hurch , ereford i C So m e e K lmersdon hurch , rs t P R E F A C E i i f n n e r . 0 these asc at g pag s , my good f iend the Rev Father Hom e has invited me to write a few pr elim i f ~ u n o . ary words by way preface I felt honoured by the req est , and although I am not vain enough to imagine that my name w to o f ill add materially the popularity this book , I desire as an Old antiquary and ecclesiologist to bear my testimony to ’ hn F H the value , originality and thoroug ess Of ather orne s a comprehensive researches . Another re son why I am glad to be connected in any way with this work is on accoun t of its close connection with the su perlatively beautifu l and i fi n S i n nitely varied cou ty of omerset , to wh ch I am much In i . attached . th s shire I received the major part of my u S n ed cation at omersetshire College , Bath , u der the venerated the - . S headmaster Rev Hay weet Escott , the late Rector of m Cleeve . I also spent the happiest days of y boyhood , youth ’ h i n Lu and earlyman ood my father s parish of ccombe , whence u even as a schoolboy , I loved to explore the delightf l old churches of West S omerset . The au thor o f these pages has accomplished a wonderful feat of travel in his rambles in search of this single detail o f f o . F church lore , in the leisure hours a very busy life or in Of S this huge county omerset , where there are over a million 500 F H m acres and nearly parishes , ather o e has visited every single o ld church to take notes and photographs of these i i . primitive or med aeval d als , wherever extant My o wn attention was drawn to the absorbing su bject o f Of these early forms church time keepers , whereby the priests S of axon , Norman and later days were able to regulate the u in ho rs Of Mass and of other Offices , by the striking paper kshir e A r chaeolo ica l Jou r na l Yor . Vol . V of the g by the Rev D benefi c ed Father Haigh . uring the years that I was in the x Pr efac e R vi North iding , I sited every example that he adduced of n these primitive dials . My k owledge was soon after increased hi in o f by the supplementary paper on t s subject Vol . IX the 1 96 same Proceedings by my friend Canon Fowler . Then in 8 I became greatly interested in what I am still inclined to believe to be the remarkable Old S axon example built up in N St . S the porch Of the orthampton church of epulchre , and S n fo l published details with illustrations . i ce then I have lowed u p the question somewhat more closely in connection “ difi erent o f with examples in counties , particularly in those o n Norfolk , Cumberland and Westmorland . I have also several occasions drawn attention to these dials at the usua l o f a be summer meetings the Royal Arch eological Institute , i 1 8 7 ginn ing with that held n Salisbury in 8 . All this catalogue of my own contributions to this branch f n t o f o ecclesiology is o set forth with any touch vainglory , but chiefly to emphasise the fact that , in this respect , I now o f . o n sit at the feet Father Horne His conclusions , based a much wider knowledge , have taught me a lesson of humility , to o wn for they , some marked extent , upset my theories and those o f wiser men than myself . A L Co x J . CH R ES SYD ENHAM Novem ber 1 9 1 6 NOTE BY AU THOR I T is a pleasant du ty to acknowledge my indebtedness to a number Of friends whose help has been generously given . In du e . the first place my thanks are to Mr Antonio de Navarro , whose interest in my work and whose generosity have alik e . To D r made this little book a possibility the Rev . J . Charles o x i C , who k ndly consented to write the Preface , and who has given me the valuable assistance of his wide antiquarian n k owledge , I am deeply indebted , and I also express my . H . G gratitu de for help and advice given by Mr S t . eorge n u u Gray , the Curator of our Cou ty M se m . A large number o f cor respondents in S omerset have called my attention to dials in places that I might have overlooked , and to these as well I tender my thanks . Among them I must mention the - F u - fi e R ev . v W Weaver , who , d ring the last twenty years not only on this subject , but on many kindred matters , T has been an unfailing source of information . o the Rev . H . H . G Of Prebendary E Bates arbin , Mr Gerald rey Bath , and — . S o f the Rev George W aunders , Vicar Curry Rivel the latter h as u o f especially , who taken photographs and meas rements —m a dial I was not able to reach y sincere thanks are also due . u I should like to mention Mr . E . E . Purnell , the r ral postman u S at $ een Camel , who made a careful list of the cratch dials in his neighbourhood— where they abound— and gave me u considerable assistance with them . It is diffic lt to single out names from among a mu ltitu de Of correspondents all over England , who have sent me photographs or sketches relatin g to this subject . I am under Obligation to the Rev . Canon Wilson of Worcester for information concerning the dials o n M r S u . a oon toulton Ch rch , and to Mrs , daughter of the late ’ Sir D . o f Henry ryden , Bart , for the loan of some her father s i . H C . papers on the d als in Northamptonshire Mr . Goodman xii Note by A u thor l o f f sent me a va uable collection photographs o Sussex dials , F elto e and to the Rev . Dr . of Ripple Rectory I am especially obliged fo r the trouble he took in obtaining in formation about A . in K . L those ent lso I have to thank Mr W . Lancaster Gaye for placin g at my disposal a considerable newspaper n t . u corresponde ce dealing wi h this question Finally , I m st D o f mention Mr . W . ennis Moss , photographer , Cirencester , fo r k in dly giving p ermission to use the photograph which forms the frontispiece . E THELB ERT HORNE D OW NSID E AB B EY ‘ S -TR ATTON - ON - TH - F O B A TH E SSE , Decem ber 8th 1 9 1 6 P R I M ITIVE SU N D I A LS O R SC R A TC H DI A LS INTROD U CTION PON the walls o f many of our old parish churches may of u n be found a primitive form s ndial , co sisting of a few n di li es , cut rectly on the stone . These dials have interested ‘ u and puzzled many enquirers , and no very definite concl sions a s u to their p rpose appear to have been reached . While at first sight they certainly seem to be a simple form of sundial , yet as they do not record time by any known system , and also as they frequently have lines upon them which the sun a can never reach , it has been contended that they c nnot be “ s An d undials at all .

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